There are as many good methods of measuring cattle as there are good cattlemen. We measure our cattle in order to improve them. It is our goal as BueLingo breeders to produce the perfect beef animal.

The following two tables are from the “Standards of Perfection” adopted at the BueLingo Beef Cattle Society’s 2000 convention. The numbers are the Society’s recommendations and were arrived at in consultation with Mr. Gerald Fry using the goal of a 1,100 pound finished animal grading “choice”. They are intended to be used as guidelines for breeding stock. You should notice that standards specify a range of values rather than a single “ideal” number. This allows producers to fit these numbers into their local conditions. Numbers can be helpful tools in selecting and breeding for the kind of animals you want to produce. But everyone should keep in mind that numbers are only tools, and not magic.

We are using the calculations of “Frame Score” and “Adjusted 205 Day Weight” as defined in the Beef Improvement Federation’s (BIF) handbook “Guidelines for Uniform Beef Improvement Programs” Sixth edition. In the handbook there are breed specific adjustment numbers defined by the BIF and the various breed organizations. However, this is the BueLingo Cattle Society’s website and we will use the “Standard” BIF adjustments which the BIF says are the ones appropriate for our breed. For more detailed explanations, please feel free to read the BIF handbook documents on Live Animal Evaluation, Frame Scores, and Adjusted 205 Day Weights.

Frame score is a complicated mathematical formula which yields a simple single digit estimate of the animal’s hip height at 18 months of age. It was invented by Prof. John Massey, University of Missouri and it allows feed lots to estimate the finished weight of an animal.

BIF
Numerical Frame Score

USDA
Feeder Calf
Frame Score

Mature
Cow
Weight lbs.

Steer
Slaughter
Weight lbs.

Heifer Slaughter
Weight lbs.

2

Small

955

850

700

3

Small

1030

950

800

4

Medium

1100

1050

900

5

Medium

1175

1150

1000

6

Large

1250

1250

1100

7

Large

1320

1350

1200

8

Large

1395

1450

1300

9

Large

1470

1550

1400

Source: Adapted from Boggs, South Dakota State University, 1991

WEIGHT AT CHOICE FOR VARIOUS FRAME SIZES STEERSAn animal with a higher frame score is taller at the hip than one with a lower frame score. Frame score describes the size/maturity of an animal. It also tells us something about how long it will take for that animal will reach its finished weight. The higher the frame score, the longer it takes for that animal to finish and the higher its finished weight will be. The longer that animal is on feed, the higher the total feed costs will be. Large frame cows require more feed for maintenance than do smaller framed cows.

The formula used works correctly only for cattle between 5 and 20 months of age. There are formulas which adjust the hip height measurement to 205 or 365 days of age. There is also a chart which gives the frame score for older animals. Most animals should maintain the same frame score throughout their life, though their actual height will continue to increase.

The BIF does not calculate the frame score out to the nearest tenth (although it is a common practice.) As a practical point, it is often difficult to obtain accurate height measurements. Cattle must be measured between the hips to a point on the spine, but often this does not happen. Cattle must be standing upright and on level ground. Also, angulation of joints affects height. For example cattle with very straight hindlegs may have the same skeletal size as sickle hocked animals but they measure taller. Finally, nutrition can contribute to a half score variation in frame score either way.

The recommended point of measurement for hip height is directly over the hooks.

205 Day Weights
Adjusted 205 Day Weights are a simple calculation, taking a calf’s age at weaning and its weaning weight to estimate what it should have weighed at precisely 205 days of age. This allows a direct comparison of the growth rate of calves born at different times.

The birth weight is subtracted from the measured weight and a daily rate of gain is calculated. Multiplying this daily rate of gain times 205 days gives the expected total gain and adding back in the birth weight gives the unadjusted 205 day weight. The adjustment is the extra weight added to compensate for the age of the Dam. Cows less than 5 years of age and cows older than 10 aren’t expected to allow their calves to fully express their genetic potential and the adjustment is to make up for that.